Month: September 2012

WISDOM AND GENTLENESS

Who among you is wise and understanding?  Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.  James 3:13

            Perhaps you’ve noticed that I speak often of a know-it-all.  I know that I do that.  Having come from a background of legalism, and having been wounded in an atmosphere of spiritual arrogance, I am sensitive to this subject.  Great scholars can lack the humility born of experiencing Christ and the grace He offers for sin.

A pastor whom I admire just returned from a mission’s trip to Africa and he made a comment this week.  “Never trust a leader without a limp.”  That’s it, isn’t it?  There are those who think they become great through the intellectual pursuit of a Master of Divinity degree.  That is not true.  Greatness starts with self-awareness and the familiarity with one’s own brokenness.  When I know the pathology of my own wounds and have explored them in the company of the Holy Spirit, I cannot be anything but humble. Continue reading “Wisdom and Gentleness” →

UNCHANGING GOODNESS

Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation, nor shadow of turning.  James 1:17

            God’s character is good and His goodness is always present.  When James speaks of ‘variation and shadow of turning’, he is using a phrase in astronomy called parallax, when the earth rotates on its axis every 24 hours.  When it does, we experience the shifting of light upon the earth.  The sun is obscured by clouds, by seasons, and the nighttime comes to one part of the world while another region enjoys the daylight.  One part of the earth will know nighttime and shadows.

But God never shifts and changes.  He is everywhere at once and we can depend on His goodness being accessible.  So, why does God seem more near at certain times, more distant at others?  The older I get, I understand that it has to do entirely with me.  My flesh causes the illusion of His distance.  My body suffers mortality; illness, depression, fatigue and stress.  Each brings a veil of shadows.  With the obstruction of His view, I can fall into disbelief.  “Where have you gone, Lord?  Don’t you hear?  Don’t you see?  Don’t you care?”  Continue reading “Unchanging Goodness” →

A THREAD TO A ROPE

Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.  James 1:15

            A well-loved rabbi is usually known for his stories, for his wisdom, as evidenced by this metaphor he often used to teach today’s scripture.

            He would tell you that when we listen to the seductive voices of our own souls, we perceive sin as the thread of a spider’s web.  We believe that if we give in, the consequences won’t be that serious.  After all, a thread is thin and easily broken.  In reality, when sin is acted upon, the spider’s thread mutates into a thick braided rope.  The illusion of the thread though ~ trips us up every time.

            I need to believe God about lust giving way to sin, and then sin bringing about death. God hates sin, not only because He is holy, but also because of what it does to His children.   Continue reading “A Thread To A Rope” →